It means when the 2017 season commences they can expect a safer playing environment.

Hastings Valley Netball Association president Helen Miles was hopeful the upgrade would mean a higher standard of play next season.

“Better courts means a better standard of play because the players trust the surface,” she said.

“They’re willing to run faster and jump higher because they know they have a good surface to land on.”

She said the funding was essential to the sustainability of the association.

“Not having good facilities means that we would decline eventually because players and parents do not want to play on sub-standard facilities,” she said.

“People are too concerned, as we are, about the safety our members.”

Once the upgrade is complete it will mean the association will have the best facilities in the region which will help to attract more carnivals to the area.

“We are hoping to submit a proposal to have state masters here and we do have regional league finals here because we will have a lovely new facility,” Miles said.

Only 11 courts will be available at Macquarie Park which is half the number required to host any other events above state masters.

“We don’t have enough courts to get your big carnivals because we probably need about 22 to hold anything above state masters,” she said.

“To have state and state age junior carnivals you really do need quite a lot of courts.”

Miles said the association was hopeful of upgrading the grass courts some time down the track.

“We’ll look at firming up that surface to make it a little bit almost like cricket,” she said.

“That would allow us to expand a little bit more because some of the younger children are better off on grass because they fall over quite a bit.”

Miles was confident the upgrade of the courts would help to continue to raise netball’s profile throughout the Hastings.

“I feel when new people come to the area and see such a good facility they’ll be encouraged to enrol their children here and that will help us grow our members,” she said.

“That’s what we want.”